Tuesday April 08, 2008

Big Deal or Not?

Big Deal or Not?
When you get up at 5:00 AM every morning going to bed after 10 o’clock usually doesn’t cross your mind. Since my family and friends know that, my phone usually doesn’t ring past 10 PM.

Last night was different because I was up and my phone did ring. I was up watching the national championship basketball game and the phone call was about the game. Well, not actually the game. It was about “The Sticker.”

At the time when I first saw Roy Williams sitting in the Kansas section with a huge Jayhawk sticker on his shirt I thought I might have been the only man in America who thought it was odd. I thought it was strange. I thought it was bizarre but above all I thought it was wrong.

Since that phone call I have received a bunch of phone calls, both on my radio show and off of the air from a couple of coaches. Most of the fans had a problem with it but the coaches did not. The disparity between fans’ and coaches’ views on the subject should not be a shock but let’s look at a couple of reasons why he would do it and let’s also look closer to home to see how it would go over here in Clemson Nation.

I understand Roy Williams’ history at North Carolina. He grew up in North Carolina and went to the University of North Carolina. He was an assistant coach for 11 years under Dean Smith at North Carolina. So I understood when he was the head coach at Kansas why he would openly pull for North Carolina when the Heels were not playing Kansas.

I also understand Williams’ history at Kansas. He was the head coach for 15 years at Kansas and he should have feelings for his former team.

But in my opinion, I don’t see the need to wear the Frog Horn Leg Horn Kansas logo last night. It was pointed out to me that in 1991 Dean Smith sat in the Kansas section and openly pulled for Kansas after his team lost to the Jayhawks in the tournament. I say this is different because it was Smith’s alma mater. Remember, Williams did not go to school at Kansas.

I can also see why some would say it is a classy move but if I were a Tar Heel (Thank the good Lord I am not) I would have a huge problem with it.

Actually I have never understood the whole concept that Dean Smith had by not wanting to play against his alma mater or against any of his former assistants. When Eddie Fogler was at South Carolina he would cringe at the idea of facing USC but I never bought into that. I never had a brother but would have loved to compete against him. We have had how many Bowden Bowls now? Think they Bowden boys have competed against each other?

Coaches point out that this is a business and coaches have to move or stay put based upon what is best for their families. I get that too. However, I would ask this, “How would this play over in the real world?”

Let’s say you work for the marketing department at Pepsi for 15 years as the vice-president in charge of marketing but Coke decides to hire you to head their marketing efforts. How would it go over if you showed up to work the next day in Pepsi apparel? Think a former employee for Budweiser could still wear the Bud shirt around the office if he went to work at Miller?

So I ask Clemson nation, how would you feel if Dayton put Clemson out of the tournament in the semi-finals and Purnell showed up at the finals wearing Flyer gear?

Think Clemson fans would mind if Tommy Bowden got beat by West Virginia to end the regular season and showed up at their bowl in Mountaineer clothes?

Jack Leggett was a big part of the Keith LeClair deal at Western Carolina last year and the dedication of the field and LeClair’s ALS battle is a different scenario but Jack did not don Catamount gear.

The coaches are people and they have family and friends. I understand Williams had a daughter graduate from Kansas and it was probably a classy move. I know he has more class than the fans at West Virginia who took things too far when Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan. But we are still fans. We are fanatical. We don’t see family and friends as part of the equation. We see our school and our school colors only.

Clemson and South Carolina have shared a lot of coaches through the years. I have talked to Tommy West, Miles Aldridge, Clyde Christenson, Woody McCorvey, Rick Stockstill and Brad Scott about coaching on both sides of our rivalry and each has a different take on the subject but I understood each position.

I remember vividly when Rick Stockstill accepted a position to coach under Lou Holtz at South Carolina. Stock and I were friends since 1989. In 2004 he took the job in Columbia and it was the best move for him, Sarah, Brent and Emily but I will never forget the conversation we had when he told me he was going to be a Gamecock. He told me things would be different. I said, “No way!” I told him I was an adult and that is crazy. I told him I thought nothing of it because we had been friends for 15 years and the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry was not bigger than our friendship. I tried to convince him that things were not going to be different but he would have nothing to do with that talk. Stock told me we could act like they weren’t but the truth is things would be different between us. You know what? He was right.

As fans we don’t see all of the details of a move. We ignore the fact that these coaches are humans. We take our loyalty to our school much too far often times and act like children. We let school colors blind what really matters in this world.

Tar Heel fans should look at Roy Williams today the same way they always have. He is a first class guy that we could learn a lot from. UNC fans should be thankful they have a great coach and overlook the sticker. But, to be totally honest with you, I could not do it if I were a Tar Heel. I am just thankful this morning that it was not Purnell or Bowden in those shoes or we may have issues here in Clemson Nation.

Would you have a problem with it?

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